Binder.



No. 831,773. PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906. R. J. COPELAND & A. E. GHATTERSON.

BINDER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12. 1900. RENEWED DEU. 20,1905.

6 22 17972 28 J/ A? W Mm My 59 WTTOHNEY 1 TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT JAMES COPELAND AND ALBERT EDWVY CHATTERSON, OF

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

Application filed July 12,1900. Renewed December 20,1905. Serial No. 292,587.

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT J AMES COPE- LAND, a citizen of the United States, and AL BERT EnwY CHATrERsoN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residents of and whose post-ofiice address is 75 Queen street west, Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Binders, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to binders, and more particularly such as are adapted for use in perpetual loose-leaf ledgers.

The invention seeks, among other things, to provide an expansible binder with a back which shall be kept in predetermined position with respect to the upper and lower strips of the binder by efficient and simple and positive means.

It also seeks to so construct the binder that the leather or other binding material with which the parts are covered shall be protected from injury.

It also seeks to generally improve the construction of binders of the class to which it belongs.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the preferred embodiment of the invention, the covers and leaves being omitted and having parts in section and broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the leaves being added and the springs in the outer guideposts being omitted. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a reduced plan view of the binder with covers attached. Fig. 5 is a fragmental vertical section of a filingpost. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan of such post. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the seal-chamber, and Fig. 8 is an inverted plan of such seal-chamber.

1 and 2 are the upper and lower strips of the binder, between which the leaves 3 are secured on the extensible posts 4 and 5, connected to the strips. The strips 1 and 2 are preferably made of metal and L-shaped in cross-section, and the covers 8 and 9 are hinged to these strips. The strips are arranged to move to and from each other and may and preferably do have telescoping posts 10 and 11 secured to the opposite strips to assist in guiding the movement of the strips and to give rigidity to the structure.

12 is a back extending over the backs of the strips 1 and 2 and having its ends 13 and 14 bent over the ends of the strips, but so as to permit movement of the strips on the back. The back 12 is arranged to cover the space 15 between the strips, and means are provided connecting the back and strips together for keeping the back in predetermined position with respect to the strips, so that the back may cover the space 15 and remain centrally disposed with reference to the strips, Whatever may be the distance separating the strips. In connection with such means springs are employed which operate to separate the strips when released. Associated with the springs is a lock or suitable means for restraining the springs and for releasing the springs to permit them to separate the strips. The connections connecting the back and strips may be variously arranged, but are generally extensible and preferably flexible and in the form of toggles, such as shown in the drawings. The springs for separating the strips may be variously disposed and arranged. They may be disposed inside the posts 10 and 11 or may bear against the flexible connectionsas, for example, against the toggles, as shown in the drawings. As these devices are shown in the drawings the back 12 is provided on its inner side with slideways 16 and 17, in which work blocks, such as 18. The back is generally made of sheet metal, and the slideways are tubular in form and stamped in the metal and are thus integral with the back. Links 20 and 21 extend through slots in the slideways and are secured to the blocks 18 and 19.

22 23 and 24 25 are two pairs of arms pivotally connected to the links and pivotally connected at their outer ends to the strips 1 and 2. These armsfit will be seen, are extensible flexible connections, and, in fact, toggles connected at their outer ends to the upper and lower strips and at their middle to the back. Springs 56 and 57, located in the slideways 16 and 17, bear against the blocks 18 and 19 and operate when unrestrained to straighten the toggles and separate the strips.

In the arrangement of the lock, 26 is a ratchet-arm secured to the strip 2, adapted to be engaged by the pawl or dog 27, pivoted at to the lock-casing 28, secured to the strip 1. The dog 27 has a tooth 29 to mesh with the ratchet-arm 26 and is pressed into 1 The rod extends through the top of the strip 1, where it may be operated by a key made to fit it.

34 is a spring arranged to retract the rod, so as to keep its cam 32 normally out of engagement with the dog.

In some cases springs 35 and 3 6 in the posts- 10 and 11 may be employed to separate the strips instead of the springs 56 and 57, or both may be employed to operate in conjunction.

The leather 37 or other binding material with which the strips 1 and 2 and the covers 8 and 9 are covered is disposed in countersinks formed in the outer faces of the strips and covers. The edges of the strips and covers around the countersinks form a raised beading which protects the leather or other binding material from abrasion or other injury. This beading in the strips is marked 38, and in the covers it is marked 39. This arrangement is important and useful in preserving the appearance of the binder and increasing its desirability. The back 12 is also coilrered with leather or other binding materia In order to prevent unauthorized persons from attempting to unlock the binder, the lock is provided with a seal and a seat therefor, which may be located in any convenient place and which is so arranged that when the seal is in its place and the binder is locked the seal must necessarily be defaced in unlocking the binder. The seal preferably used is a small piece of paper suitably marked to prevent wrongful duplication. If an unauthorized person attempts to unlock the binder, he

will deface the seal, and thus leave a sure indication of his act, which may then be at once investigated. The seal-seat is arranged to be locked and unlocked when the binder is locked and unlocked, but its lock is prefer-' ably independent of the unlocking of the binder, so that access to the seal-seat by the proper person may be had without necessarily unlocking the binder. The key for the binder is generally used to operate the lock for the seal-seat.

In the preferred arrangement of the sealseat, and as shown in Figs. 1, 7, and .8, a shallow box 40 is secured to the strip 1. The box consists of a bottom 42, secured in place by screws or any suitable means, and a lid 43, having a spring-hinge. A keyhole 44 permits a key to pass through the box and into engagement with the rotating piece 31. Hooks 45 are secured to the under side of the lid, and 'when the lid is closed these hooks pass through apertures in the bottom and are engaged by a spring-wire 46, secured on the under side of the bottom 42 and extending close to the keyhole, so as to be operated by the key to unfasten the lid. When the key is in the keyhole, a partial turn unfastens the lid 43, which then springs open. A further turn unlocks the binder. When the key is turned back to lock the binder and is withdrawn from the keyhole, the lid 43 may be locked down by simply closing it. 47 is the paper seal seated in the box. It lies beneath the keyhole in the lid 43 and when the key enters the keyhole the seal is punctured. A fresh seal always takes the place of the one that is punctured when the binder is locked again. If any unauthorized person attempts to unlock the binder, he must necessarily puncture the seal, and as the seal has a private mark he will be unable to replace the defaced seal with a fresh one. Thus he leaves a positive indication of his wrongful act.

Each of the posts 4 and 5, on which the leaves 3 are filed, consists of sections 6 and 7, which have dovetailing or intermeshing members whereby the posts have the same circumference throughout for the purpose of keeping the leaves in the binder in alinement. The section 6 has members 48, 49, and 50, connected by the block 54. The section 7 has members 51, 52, and 53, connected by the block 55.

Various changes in the construction" and arrangement of the various features may of course be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, instead of using a pluralityof springs to separate the strips one spring may be employed for this purpose. This of course would not involve a departure from the scope of the claims.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a binder, the combination of a back, upper and lower strips movable thereon, toggles connecting said strips and back together and operating to maintain the back in predetermined position with respect to the strips, and springs operating to separate the strips by a quick action.

2. In a binder, the combination of a back, upper and lower strips movable thereon, toggles connecting said strips and back together and operating to maintain the back in predetermined position with respect to thestrips, springs operating to separate the strips by a quick action, and a lock to hold the strips against separating movement.

3. In a binder, the combination of a back, upper and lower strips movable thereon, toggles connecting said strips and back together and operating to maintain the back in predetermined position with respect to the strips, springs operating when released to separate the strips by a quick action, and filing-posts carried by said strips.

4. In a binder, the combination of a back, upper and lower strips movable thereon, toggles connecting said strips and back together and operating to maintain the back in predetermined position with respect to the strips, springs bearing against the toggles at their joints and tending when released to extend the toggles to separate the strips, filingposts carried by said strips, and a lock to hold the strips against separating movement.

5. In a binder, the combination of a back, upper and lower strips movable thereon, toggles connecting said strips and back together and operating to maintain the back in predetermined position with respect to the strips, springs bearing against the toggles at their joints and tending when released to extend the toggles to separate the strips, extensible filing-posts extending between the strips, and a spring-lock arranged to lock the strips at various distances apart and operating when fastened to hold the strips against the separating action of the springs and when unfastened to permit the springs to separate the strips.

6. In a binder, the combination of a back, upper and lower strips movable thereon, toggles connected at their outer ends to the strips and at their joints to the back, springs carried by the back and bearing upon the toggles at their joints, extensible filing-posts connected to the strips, and a lock for locking the strips at various distances apart.

7. In a binder, the combination of a back, having longitudinal slideways; upper and lower strips movable on the back; toggles connected at their outer ends to the strips and having their joints arranged to work in the slideways on the back; springs in said slideways bearing upon the toggles at their joints to extend the toggles and separate the strips; and means for locking the strips against separating movement.

8. In a binder, the combination of a back made of sheet metal having longitudinal guideways struck up therefrom; springs in said slideways; upper and lower strips movable on the back; and toggles connected at their outer ends to the strips and at their joints arranged to work'in said slideways on the back and against said springs.

9. In a binder, the combination of a back made of sheet metal having longitudinal guideways struck up therefrom; upper and lower strips movable on the back; toggles connected at their outer ends to the strips and at their joints arranged to work in said slideways on the back; springs in said slideways bearing upon the-toggles at their joints to extend the toggles and separate the strips, and means for locking the strips against separating movement.

10. In a binder, the combination of a back, upper and lower strips movable thereon, toggles connecting said strips and back together and operating to maintain the back in predetermined position with respect to the strips, springs bearing against the toggles at their joints and tending when released to extend the toggles to separate the strips, extensible filing-posts extending between the strips, and a spring-lock arranged to lock the strips at various distances apart and operating when fastened to hold the strips against the separating action of the springs and when unfastened to permit the springs to separate the strips, and detachable sheets engaged by said filing-posts.

11. An extensible sheet-post for a binder of uniform circumference throughout its length and comprising a plurality of sections slidably connected together, each section comprising a plurality of longitudinal members, at least three in number, arranged to fit between the members of an adjoining section of the post, said members constituting the outer periphery of the post.

12. An extensible sheet-post for a binder of uniform circumference throughout its length and comprising a plurality of sections slidably connected together, each section comprising a plurality of longitudinal members, at least three in number, arranged to fit between the members of an adjoining section of the post, said members constituting the outer periphery of the post, the ends of ad joining sections each having the members thereof rigidly secured together.

13. An extensible sheet-post for a binder of uniform circumference throughout its length and comprising a plurality of sections slidably connected together, each section comprising a plurality of longitudinal members arranged to fit between the members of an adjoining section of the post, the ends of adjoining sections each having the members thereof rigidly secured together.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I/Vitnesses:

ALEX. MILLs, O. M. LEAN. 

